Moral Compass
by Pi-dantic
Summary: Co-authored by Moosesmittens on ao3. Cover by Cirilee on tumblr. Kryptos has mixed feelings about the party that never ends and the host that never dies, which he laments to the captive Ford Pines. Bill isn't too keen on sharing his pet, however. Warnings: torture, mind games, gore, humiliation, alcohol, dehumanization, discussed genocide and systematic abuse. Warnings b4 each ch.
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter Warnings: pretty much none of the above warnings except alcohol, reference to torture, humans being treated like animals/pets, and swearing (and mild swearing at that)._

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Kryptos stares down at his drink, sighing. The Time Ice in the cup has long since melted, leaving his Time Punch watered down and unpalatable. Not that it matters, seeing as he hasn't touched his drink once since he got it.

He likes parties, he guesses...at least for the first hour or two. But this one has been going on for days, and the appeal has long since worn off. The music was fun to dance to, but he'd grown sick of that too, and now that he is standing around for a while the repetitive nature of the beat is beginning to get on his nerves. He sighs again, casting a glance to his friends. They all seem like they're having a good time right now and probably wouldn't want to be bothered.

His gaze wanders. He never really looked at the Fearamid...He supposes it's kind of cool, design-wise...There's a slanted ceiling that seems to go on forever, and the floors are shiny...It's big...and...impressive...and stuff…

His eye travels down to the opposite corner of the room, to where the human is chained. Bill's made quite a show of parading the little creature around, tormenting it and such, but he's been ignoring it ever since it died the last time.

It looks a little lonely, now that Bill isn't playing with it. Hectorgon had muttered something about it being nothing but trouble, but it doesn't seem like much of a problem. Maybe it'll make good company, or at least an amusing distraction.

Kryptos makes his decision and hovers over to the imprisoned being. It's not like he has much else to do, anyway.

Stanford wants to be anywhere else but here. His arms are chained behind his back and attached to a heavy collar affixed around his neck. All he can do is get as comfortable as possible, leaning against the wall he's been shackled to. The migraine behind his eyes throbs as the music pounds through his skull, hitting his brain with every beat. His arms strain to cover his ears, but all he can do is tilt his head awkwardly to the side to block at least one ear. It doesn't do much except make him look like a curious owl.

He groans as his shoulder cracks and the muscles in his neck strain. This was not how he planned to spend his retirement…. If he retired at all… If he even lived to see the day…

He curls his legs underneath himself, chains clinking musically. He manages to twist his body around and press his forehead to the cold wall. Anything to relieve the building pressure in his head. He shuts his eyes, grimacing.

Kryptos stares at the creature. He doesn't understand Bill's fascination with the thing. It's small, it's pretty much entirely made of meat, and it's so frail and stupid. That and it smells 'd slaughtered creatures like these by the thousands in other dimensions. What's so special about this one?

Well, he doesn't have many other options for company or entertainment right now, so he decides he might as well start talking to the thing.

"Hey there." he says casually, as though he was talking to any other being and not some little meat pet of Bill's. "Enjoying the party?"

Ford's eyes snap open, swinging around to the sudden voice. His hackles are raised and his teeth are bared. The creature that stands before him is a curious thing… A Diamond? His brain scrambles to process it. It must be a trap. Bill's got to be somewhere, watching him.

"What! What do you want from me?" He growls, fists clenching as he raises them.

Kryptos shrugs. "Just wanna talk to someone." Oh god..he's not good at this...his casual facade wavers a bit. He takes a drink of the Time Punch in his hand to soothe his nerves. It tastes as washed out and gross as he thought it would, but he swallows it anyway, his mouth twisting into a bit of a grimace. He coughs, the bite of the alcohol reaching his tongue. He shouldn't have gotten himself such a big helping of the stuff, but Pyronica and Hectorgon had been watching him, and he knew he wouldn't hear the end of it if he took any less.

Ford's eyes narrow suspiciously. "What about your 'friends' over there?" He nods over to the group of Henchmaniacs. The pink demon notices his gaze and waves frantically at him.

He quickly averts his eyes.

Kryptos shrugs again. "They're busy doing their own thing. And besides, they never just wanna talk." He swirls his cup, as though it would make the contents more appetizing. That's a normal, casual gesture, right?

Ford isn't convinced. There has to be some sort of play to this. "Oh yeah? Well… What makes you think I want to talk to you?" He snaps, instantly regretting it as the rise in blood pressure makes him feel queasy.

He slumps forward in the chains with a heavy sigh.

Kryptos watches the creature curiously. It seems...tired? He guesses? Though he's not sure why. It hasn't been doing much since Bill chained it up.

"Um...I dunno…" he says finally. "But like...what else are you gonna do?"

Sweat beads across Ford's brow and he slowly raises his head. "Fine… Just… I don't know… At least get me some water or something… Or food."

Kryptos stares, confused. "Um...ok…" he looks around. "Uh...what's 'wah-tur'?"

Ford blinks slowly. _Oh for the love of…_

"It's a liquid. Two hydrogen molecules bound to an oxygen molecule. Human bodies are seventy percent of it." He explains wearily.

Kryptos' confusion increases. "Then can't you just...use the stuff...already in your body?"

"... No. That's the problem. It gets used up."

Kryptos stares. "That's, er...o-ok…" _That seems fake but ok_. "Where do you get this...watur?"

Ford rolls his eyes in exasperation. "Lakes, ponds… Fresh water tends to come from taps but since you lot destroyed the town… Probably not happening any time soon…"

Kryptos' eye glazes over, his mind already beginning to wander. That seems like an awful lot of work to find. His gaze drifts, and eventually settles on the snack table. "Hey," he interjects suddenly. "do humans eat Time Food?"

Ford furrows his brow. "Well… Sort of… It was illegal in the last dimension I was in."

Kryptos is already floating over to the snack table. He gathers up some random foods into a bowl and hurries back to the human.

He sifts through the bowl. "Ok, um...we've got Time Puffs, Time Eclairs, Time Popcorn, Slices of Time, Time Chips…"

Ford peers curiously into the bowl. "Fascinating…" He muses, in spite of himself. "Uh… Well I've eaten Dimension X Chips before… Are they the same as those?"

Kryptos looks at the chips in his bowl. Each one is half the size of the small creature. "Um...I think they're kinda the same? Like they're supposed to flaunt the laws of physics and stuff but they're really tasty..."

"I think I can eat those…" Ford muses, leaning forward in his chains before peering up at the creature. "Thank you, uh…. What's your name?"

Kryptos shrugs and sets the bowl down on the floor. He pulls out a shining, fluxing triangle and divides it into smaller pieces.

"Kryptos." he says, smiling. He crushes the last of the chip and hands it to the tiny human.

"Pleased to meet you, Kryptos. You seem nicer than your friends."

Kryptos shrugs again. He glances at Bill and the rest of his friends. "Yeah..." he mutters. What kind of Henchmaniac does that make him, lauded as _nice_ by this skinbag?

He sighs. "I'm pretty sure they all think I'm the weak link. I guess they're not wrong..."

"Nothing weak about not following a crowd. That's what I always say!"

Kryptos smiles again. He never thought of it that way. Wasn't Bill always saying there weren't any more rules here anyway?

Ford goes to reach for the chip but is swiftly reminded by the clink of the chains that he can't move his arms. "Oh… Uh… Right."

Kryptos sees the human struggling and moves a little closer. "So...how does this...how do humans eat?"

 _Seriously?_ Ford sighs. "We eat with our mouths." He says, opening his up to show his teeth. "You just stick the food in there."

Kryptos bends down and looks over the human's "mouth". "Oooh...hey that's like what I have!" He nods. "Ok!" He shoves a wad of chip bits into the human's mouth.

Ford finds his cheeks to be suddenly stuffed. His overall annoyance at that is quickly overrun by the flavour in his mouth. Kryptos is right. It's delicious! It reminds him of an old bar he came across many dimensions ago... Must have been Dimension XIX...

"KRYPTOS!"

The demon jumps at the sound of his name. He turns. "Oh, uh...h-hey there...Bill..."

Bill clicks his tongue, his hands on his sides. "You know how I feel about feeding my pets without my permission!"

Kryptos hurriedly deposits the food back into his bowl. "Sorry it just like...seemed hungry?"

Bill sighs. "They always say that, but just you can't believe them! No matter how much they beg!" He eyes Kryptos. The diamond-shaped demon was always a little...off, somehow. Not that Bill cares too much, seeing as he still goes along with his plans, and had for millennia, but...

Kryptos looks to the side. "'k..." he mumbles.

"I beg your pardon!" Ford interjects. "I am _not_ your pet, Bill! And you haven't fed me nearly enough food!" He snaps testily, rattling his chains.

Bill sighs. "see, this is what I mean!" He floats up to his prisoner and casually fluffs his hair. Ford growls, shaking his head.

"Sixer's just a gumpy little human because he can't handle the excitement!" Bill motions to the party. "You should join us, Kryptos! Pyronica was about to set herself on fire and run through the town! We're all taking bets on how bad the damage will be!~"

Kryptos wrings his hands. "Well...that does sound kinda fun... I guess..." He glances at the human, then back at his friends, then to Bill. "I just...I don't know..."

"That sounds stupid." Ford mutters. "I can handle excitement, but idiocy is something else."

He eyes Kryptos knowingly. The amount of times he had to politely declined when college 'friends' invited him to 'get wasted'.

Bill scratches the human under the chin. "Awwww, he's so cute when he's cranky!" He looks up at his henchmaniac. "So how 'bout it, Krypster?"

Kryptos squeezes his hands together until they shake. "I just...Maybe in a bit..." He finally decides on a shrug. "I think i'm gonna go get some more food..."

He makes a hasty retreat to the snack table.

Bill sighs and takes another drink of his punch. "Weirdo..." he mutters, then shrugs. "Oh well! His loss!" Bill floats back to the group. "Whoooo's ready for some arson?~"

The henchmaniacs roar in approval, chanting "ARSON, ARSON, ARSON!"

Ford rolls his eyes. Bunch of idiots.

Kryptos winces. Why are they so damn loud...?

He glances at the human. Kryptos knows Bill said he had enough food... but Bill isn't exactly the most trustworthy creature. Still, defying Bill would bring that friendly demeanor of his crashing to a terrible halt... Bill can have a truly horrible temper.

Kryptos sighs. It's not like he has much else to do. And what's the worst that could happen, all in all? Bill might disintegrate him again? It wouldn't be anything new. And besides, if he _really_ pisses Bill off, Pyronica would probably help sort it out...he hopes anyway...

Kryptos turns back to the snack table. The human seemed to like the chips...but the demon isn't sure what else a human would want to eat. Smaller meat creatures? Didn't Bill say they did that, once?

He eventually decides to gather up a little more of everything and wanders back to the chained-up creature.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter Warnings: swearing, alcohol, treating humans like animals/pets, implied genocide, discussed and implied torture, and discussion of systematic abuses._

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Ford watches Kryptos hurry off to the snacks. What a weird creature. He seemed different from the rest... He eyes him warily on his return. They're on different sides. He has to be careful.

 _Trust no one._

He sighs, letting himself sag against the chains.

Kryptos floats down to the human. "Ok, so...Sixer?...I didn't know what you'd want, so I just got...everything...again..."

"Please, call me Ford." Ford interjects, eying the snacks.

Kryptos glances back at Bill, then leans in and whispers. "I don't really wanna piss him off, you know? So we've gotta be stealthy about this."

"Sure, but hey… That was nice of you, Kryptos. Thank you." Ford says with a small smile.

Kryptos winces. "gee, I hope not..." He's still not sure how he feels about that label, 'nice'... Man, if his friends knew about this, he'd never hear the end of it.

He nods. "ok, uh, Ford?" he frowns in confusion. "is that your human name?" it's a truly strange moniker. No wonder Bill calls him Sixer.

"Yes, it's short for Stanford." Ford explains.

Kryptos shrugs. 'Stanford' isn't any less of a weird name, but who's he to judge what other beings, of any level of sentience, decide to call themselves?

Ford eyes the bowl, something catching his eye. "Are those... Time Gummies?" He asks, eyes widening. "I haven't had one of those since I was in Znathnar! Dimension II I believe!"

Kryptos looks down. "Oh yeah, they are," he smiles. The meat creature's kind of adorable when excited. "Do you want some?"

"You bet!" Ford nods eagerly. "They're incredibly hard to get but definitely my favourite inter-dimensional food!"

Kryptos shrugs again. "ok."

He glances back at the rest of his friends, who are leaving the Fearamid to set some stuff on fire and thus otherwise engaged, before taking one out of the bowl and offering it to the human.

Ford cringes as he reaches forth and takes the gummy in his teeth.

How humiliating.

But the sweet-sour burst of colourful flavour that hits him makes it totally worth it.

He chews and swallows contently. "Damn, that's good candy..."

Kryptos giggles. Humans look absolutely ridiculous when they eat, but it's kind of cute. "Ah yeah, well...you know Bill….nothing but the best for one of his crazy parties." Kryptos reaches into the bowl and offers him another.

"Oh I know Bill alright." Ford mumbles bitterly, flushing with embarrassment before taking another.

Kryptos shifts uncomfortably. Is the human mad? Bill isn't very nice to the creature, he supposes...

He looks off to the side, fishing out another piece. "I don't know, I guess he can be kind of a jerk, but he's still kinda my friend...and all my other friends really like him..."

"Well he has kind of destroyed my town and spent the last few hours torturing me so you'll understand why I'm not a fan." Ford takes the gummy again and eats it, his expression softens.

Kryptos nods, fiddling with a Time Chip. From the human's perspective, Bill must be like some sort of evil god, now that he thinks about it. Maybe these creatures are stupid and exceedingly temporary, but it did seem like they had some form of genuine consciousness and didn't particularly enjoy some of the stuff Bill was doing to them.

Then again...not that that matters much...They've done worse things to higher life forms anyway...It's kind of stupid to get broken up over such small, limited creatures…

"So uh... How did you get mixed up with a whack job like Bill anyway?" Ford asks.

Kryptos shrugs and motions with his hand. "It's kind of a long story, I guess. When Bill destroyed the 2nd Dimension, some people went into hiding. Hectorgon and I were on the run together when Bill found us. He remembered us from prison and offered us a chance to hang out with him."

Ford blinks. "He destroyed your entire dimension but you still chose to run with him? Forgive me… But that sounds pretty insane."

Kryptos shrugs. "Everything's pretty insane, if you think about it. The universe is an insane place." He stares into the bowl. his hands shake slightly. "It's not like that dimension didn't have it coming anyway... " he mutters. there's a bitter venom in his tone.

Ford's eyebrows arch upwards. "You didn't like your home? You thought Bill did the right thing?"

Kryptos looks away. "It...it...wasn't a good place..." he tosses the contents of the bowl around with his fingers. This isn't something he wants to talk about, and yet...well maybe he'd been holding it all in for a few billion years too long... "It was a really, really awful place, and they all deserved to _die_..." He crushes a wad of Time Chips in his hand without thinking.

Ford scowls. "And you deserved to live?"

Kryptos bites his lip. " N-no... " he whispers. Oh god, he's so glad no one is around to see this.

His gaze returns to the human. "What do you know, anyway? you're just a stupid fleshbag. Even if Bill wasn't gonna liberate your world, you'll only exist for a few moments before your body rots away." he growls.

"Hey… Easy there, buddy…" Ford mutters. He can't afford to get on someone else's bad side…

"I guess I just don't understand…" He shrugs, his shoulders crack from being held so stiffly.

"No you _don't_ ." Kryptos hisses, driving his fist into the bowl. particles of snacks go flying everywhere.

Ford flinches at the sudden crash of the bowl.

"They all would have _consumed_ me if they'd had half a chance, so forgive me if I don't _shed a tear_ for any of them!" Kryptos isn't sure why he's saying all this. It's stupid and weak and...and...

He exhales, looking down at the crushed snacks. He can't believe a meat creature made him this angry. He hasn't felt this upset about any of this for at least a couple hundred billion years. "i don't know, I mean really, it's whatever..." He shrugs. "Bill gave me a new home and they all look out for me now, so, you know..."

Kryptos sighs, glancing at the human. he looked distressed. a little afraid. Well, he should be afraid. Kryptos could consume him without any effort at all.

That thought is much less satisfying than it should be. In fact, Kryptos feels kind of the opposite about it, and his outburst in general...

He looks away. "uh...well..um..." he searches the bowl and locates a gummy that hadn't been thrown from it. "do you want more Time Gummies?"

"Uh… Do you… Mind if I have more?" Ford leans forward, eager to take the creature's mind off the subject.

Kryptos shrugs and offers the gummy to him.

There's some temptation to vent about this topic, now that it's brought up. But there's also plenty of reasons to avoid it for another few billion years.

But, then again, it's not like there's anyone else to talk to about it to. Kryptos gives into temptation. "I don't actually know how I feel about Bill destroying my world, Ford." he says suddenly. "But it's kind of too late to care about it now." He pops a Time Chip into his mouth. "Pywonica doesn weally understanth." he says while he chews. "Sthe wasn thewe." He swallows the chip. "Hectorgon knows, but he doesn't really know. He could have had it pretty good in the 2nd Dimension if he kept his mouth shut."

Ford chews the gummy thoughtfully. "Interesting… So some of the other fellas came out of the 2nd Dimension too?" He rolls his shoulders in an attempt to unknot the tight muscles.

Kryptos shrugs again. "Jus' me 'n Hector. Oh, and the Polymorphous Shape."

"I'm guessing there was some form of discrimination there?"

Kryptos can't help but scoff. "yeah, just a little bit." He digs out another gummy and rolls it between his fingers. "The more sides you had, the better off you were. Bill was pretty low on the food chain, but he kinda got off easy, or he would have, if, y'know." Kryptos motions to his own eye. "He saw weird things, and said even weirder things. That's why they locked him up. But at least they managed to make him a regular polygon, and an equilateral at that." he shudders. "they moved my angles around so much I don't even know what I began as. They still hurt sometimes." He digs around for another gummy. "I almost passed as a square for a while, but..." he runs his hand over one of his sides. "That didn't last too long."

It's embarrassing to admit, even more so to such a simple life form, but there's no one else who he could tell. Besides, what would the human do? Tell Bill? it's not like it would be new information to him. Though he'd rather the human not...

Kryptos blanches, realizing his misstep. "D-don't...don't tell Bill I told you about him being an irregular, ok? He'll fucking kill me."

"Irregular…. Fascinating…" Ford muses. "Don't worry, kid. I won't tell him."

Kryptos sighs, relieved. "Bill can get really angry sometimes..." he eyes the chains. "I guess you'd know all about that, though."

"Hah… You could say that." Ford snorts. "But, hey… Thanks for telling me all that stuff. It's interesting to a meat bag like me."

Kryptos shrugs again. "It's not like I have a lot of people to tell. Or that you'll hold any of it against me, right?" he shifts the bowl around. "is there any other snacks you want or-"

He's cut off by a mild, buzzing, burning feeling coursing throughout his body, making him go stiff and drop the snack bowl. He realizes with dawning horror that he can't move. Shit, _shit_ ...

He's lifted into the air and turned to face a familiar triangle. "Well, well, well, well, well, you just couldn't _help yourself_ , could ya, Krypster?"


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter warnings: swearing, torture, gore. All the fun stuff. Torture consists of blunt force trauma. Also this chapter includes treating humans like animals/pets, mind games, and references systematized abuses._

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 _Sandys3: Thank you ^^ I agree lol but I have a soft-spot for the silly nerd. I hope you enjoy the fic! - rrc_

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Kryptos lets out a tiny squeak. "Bill! h-hey! Y-you're b-back!..." his eye shifts around. "...I-I th-thought y-you we-were g-going w-with..." He casts a glance at the door.

Bill's tone is cheery, but the look in his eye is frightful. "Oh, I was! I did! It's funny really, because I would have been gone a long 'time,'" he airquotes at this, "but you see, I just ran out of punch! And I figured i'd check on ya, see how you're holding up..." Bill closes his eye and chuckles. "Never thought I'd walk in on something like _this_..."

Kryptos flinches. "I-I..I...I..."

Bill laughs. " _Aye aye aye_ is right! You'd really rather hang out with this..." he motions to the human derisively. "Instead of your pals? Guess you're more of a fucking loser than I thought!"

Kryptos stares at the floor.

Bill chortles. "And to top it off you blatantly disregarded, like, _every single thing I told you not to do_! I mean how do you think that makes me _feel_ , man?"

Kryptos really wishes Bill would let him go so he could curl up and hide. It takes a moment for him to realize Bill expects a response. "I...I-I mean...um..." his voice becomes very soft. " _probablyreallynothappyatall_ "

Bill laughs. " _Bingo,_ Krypster!" He lets the diamond drop suddenly. Kryptos lets out a little yelp as he falls to the floor. He furls into a shaking little ball.

Bill sighs, floating closer to Kryptos. "Ah, don't take it too hard, Krypster! I'm not mad at ya!"

Kryptos looks up. "Y-y...you're _not_?"

Bill laughs. "Of course not, I mean, why _would_ I be?" He shrugs. "So you fed the human, big deal! I mean you lied to me too, I guess that was kind of a dick move! and you, like, completely disobeyed me, but you know, _no big_ , right?"

Kryptos says nothing, not sure where this is going.

Bill keeps laughing. "But it's all good, I mean, after all, it's not like you're, y'know, one of those _humans_!" He wraps his arm around Kryptos. "I mean, you're a guest here! You're one of _us_! So if you wanna take some liberties here and there, I guess I can let it slide sometimes!"

Kryptos gives a nervous chuckle. "I, uh...guess?"

Bill giggles. "Yeah! You know, if this is your idea of fun, I'm not gonna stop ya, right?" He gives the diamond a little poke. "Different strokes, you know?"

Kryptos forces another laugh. "O-ok..."

Bill shrugs. "Anyway, it's not like it was your fault! Those humans can be pre- _tty_ conniving little beasts! They can really fool ya into thinking of them as people sometimes!" He shrugs. "I mean, they're amusing, on occasion, but if you don't teach them _their place_ " he chuckles. "Well, I mean they'll take ya for everything you've got!"

Kryptos doesn't like the direction this is headed. "Oh I don't know...I-it just seemed kinda..."

"Cute? yeah, they do that I guess! Little scoundrels!" He releases Kryptos and makes his way over to Ford. "I mean, lookit him! All pathetic and sad! 'oh help me, Krypster, I haven't eaten in 10 days, boohoo'!" he digs his finger into the human's cheek and pushes it around a little. "What a deceptive _little shit_ " he grabs a handful of the creature's hair.

"Argh!" Ford cries out, heat pricking his eyes. "You know very well humans can't survive without food! Kryptos is doing you a favour!" He snaps, trying to shake Bill's spindly fingers off him. "Let me _go_!"

Bill laughs. "Oh, Sixer, the fact that you think that is hilarious!" He gives the man's hair a sharp yank.

Kryptos winces in the background. That doesn't look pleasant.

Bill continues, chuckling. "Remember how I disemboweled you repeatedly and you didn't stay dead? Remember that?" He leans in nice and close. "Even if you died from starvation, i'd just bring you back!" He pats him on the cheek. "Eating is a privilege, not a right!~ Especially for impertinent little humans who won't _do as they're fucking told_!" He laughs, releasing the man's hair.

He grabs him around the torso and begins crushing him. "You know, I really, really, really _hate it._ " His fingers sharpen, and he digs them in to punctuate his words "When people don't _do as they're fucking told_ , you know?" He glances at Kryptos. The diamond cringes, backing away a couple of yards.

"Bill…. Please…" Ford wheezes, the chains holding him in place. "Stop…" He can feel his ribs starting to give, any moment and they'll be crushed… He can't breathe. Sharp fingers dig through his skin, blood begins to slide down his sides.

Kryptos doesn't know much about humans or how their bodies work, but he can tell the creature is in a lot of pain.

He grimaces, trying to look away. This was a lot funnier before he figured out what human distress looked like...or maybe before it mattered to him...before he started talking to that human...god he's such an idiot...he should have just watched his friends light stuff on fire...he shoulda never messed around with the stupid little skinjob...

He feels the familiar sensation of Bill's telekinetic hold wash over him. "hey hey, Krpyster! Don't run off! Don't you wanna stick around? Enjoy the show?"

Kryptos stutters. "Th-that's ok B-bill...I-I th-think I-i'm g-gonna g-g-go...f-f-find Pyr-r-ronica a-and..."

Bill laughs, pulling Kryptos in close and setting him down near himself and the human. "C'mon! Have a seat! Relax! Spend a little time with your old pal, Bill!" There's a dangerous glint in his eye. "I _insist_!"

Kryptos forces a smile. "O-ok...s-sure thing..."

He glances at the human...Ford...He should have never asked his name... He tries to keep the shaking in his body to a minimum.

BIll turns back to his prisoner. "Hey, Krypster! Ever wonder what happens to a meatbag when you squeeze em _really hard._ " He laughs, constricting his grip tighter and tighter.

Ford looks helplessly at Kryptos before—

 _SNAP_

The shearing pain that rends through his chest tells him that every rib in his body has definitely broken.

He howls in pain, going limp in Bill's grip.

"Please… Stop…" He whimpers.

Kryptos wraps his arms around himself as far as they'll go. He meets the human's terrified gaze for a moment and quickly looks away. Some terrible little emotion he forgot he was capable of feeling rises inside of him.

Bill snaps his fingers. "Hey, eye over here, Krypster! The show's just getting started, pal!"

Kryptos winces and forces himself to watch the events unfolding before him.

Bill turns his attention back to his captive. He laughs at the creature's pathetic attempts to appeal for mercy. Didn't lil ol' Fordsy know he didn't have any to give?

"Go on, Sixer, _beg_!" He wraps his other hands around one of the human's leg and gives it the same treatment.

" _Fuck_!" Ford cries out as his leg snaps like a twig under Bill's grip.

"Stop it, Bill… Please! _Please_! Stop!" The words come out as a choked sob. His vision blurs, his body breaking out in cold sweats. The shock is setting in.

Kryptos flinches at the sound of something in the human's body fracturing. It isn't unlike the sound of an angle being snapped off. He tries not to think about that.

He really, really wishes he'd never talked to the human at all, because hearing him vocalize in tones of curiosity and excitement and quiet bitterness made these panicked, agonized cries sound woefully unnatural and all the more horrid. The pleas for compassion are so desperate, so futile, they felt physically painful to listen to.

Bill just chortles, releasing the human's leg and torso and grabbing both of his arms. "Speak up Fordsy! I can't hear you!~" He crushes them in one swift, brutal motion.

Ford howls and sobs, dangling limply. "Fuck… Oh fuck…. _Come on, Ford…. Come on… You can do this… Pain… Pain is … just in your head_." He coaches himself through a vague wisp of consciousness and unbearable agony.

Kryptos berates himself. _Stupid, stupid..did you really think Bill wouldn't find out? That he'd be ok with this? You're an idiot and now that poor little meat creature is paying for it...why couldn't you just go hang out with your friends, huh? Why did you have to go and do something this fucking stupid..._

"B-bill...?" he whispers. "I th-think i-it's uh... i-it's l-l-learned its l-lesson..."

Ford shakes his head at Kryptos' attempt… It was no use.

Bill turns to the diamond. Kryptos has seen that look before. You never want to be on the receiving end of it.

Then Bill laughs. It's not sadistic, it's cheery. Friendly, even. "Ohoho, I see how it is!" He floats over to Kryptos, patting his arm. Bill's hands are covered in the red fluid that's inside humans (and really oughta stay that way, in Kryptos' opinion) and some of it gets on the diamond. He resists the urge to pull away.

"Y-you...d-do?" Kryptos' voice is so very small.

"Well, duh!" He gives him a playful punch to the shoulder. "You sly bastard! You want a turn, right?"

Kryptos blanches. "Uh..." he gulps. "Um..."

Bill laughs. "I mean… That's gotta be the reason, right?" He giggles, motioning irreverently. "because, the only other reason i can think of...well i mean..." He gives Kryptos a look, and the diamond shudders. "You're actually _fond_ of the human, right? Like, you'd actually feel some sort of...whatever that thing is that humans feels for each other? It's, heh heh...it's like that thing humans experience because chemicals in their fatty little brains want them to group together to avoid predators and copulate and stuff? That thing they use to keep from dying alone? _that thing_?" He snaps his fingers wildly, looking off into space.

"Sympery...symphony..."

"Sympathy?" Kryptos offers, and curses himself for it.

"Yeah, that!" Bill chortles. "Oh my god, Kryptos...you...and...Sixer...feeling..." He bursts into a fit of frenzied laughter. "THAT WOULD BE TOO MUCH!"

Kryptos laughs along, stilted and terrified. "Yeah...yeah th-th-that...that w-would b-be s-stupid..."

Bill wipes away a tear. "HA, stupid would be putting it mildly, my Polygonic Pal!"

He gives Kryptos a slap on the back before returning to the captive human. "Just lemme finish up here and you can have a go at 'im!"

Kryptos shivers. Oh god...watching is bad enough...

Bill reaches over and tilts the human's head towards him. "Night, Fordsy! See you when you wake up!~"

And with that, he wrings the human's body until it collapses in his hands.

Bill giggles, giving the corpse a little poke. "Hehe, he's almost cuter like this! Lookit his limp little body!"

Kryptos stares blankly at the scene. He knows humans are pretty much just bags of weird goo and skin but...the creature had been so alive before. Now he's literally just meat and a lot of red liquid, dangling from a couple of chains.

Kryptos finds he can't summon the energy to feel anything. He sits there, completely numb.

The last time he felt like this was when he watched Bill burn his dimension, except now he didn't even have the cold hatred or the simmering rage or the quiet, inculpable feeling of _serves you right_ to accompany him. Just a strange, emotionless daze.

BIll finally gets bored of prodding a lifeless cadaver and snaps his fingers, knitting the human back together cell by cell.

Kryptos swallows. In a way, he's next.

Ford slowly comes to, his whole body tingling with pins and needles. That was bad. Really bad. And from the eager look on Bill's face it's only going to get worse.

"Bill…." He murmurs. "I'm begging you. Please don't do that again… _Please_."

Yes. He's begging now. But after being brought back to life for what seemed like the tenth time (he'd lost count), it doesn't seem like there was much else to do…

"I'll…I'll never ask for food from one of your pals again, okay? Y-you can just leave me to starve in the penthouse or something…Just please… Please don't do that again."

Kryptos begins to shake.

Bill laughs. "Well ya wore me down, Fordsy! I won't be doing that again! Well, for now anyway!"

Ford breathes a sigh of relief. "There's no need for this, Bill. You're not going to get the equation from me if you fry my brains over and over…"

Bill throws his arm around Kryptos. "That's why my good buddy, Krypster here is gonna continue the fun!" He gives the trembling diamond a shove in the captive's direction.

Bill puts his hands under his eye, contemplating. "Lettt's seeeee...What kind of horrible agony is Fordsy in for today!" He twirls his fingers and summons a cabinet of medieval torture devices. "We could go the classic route..." He summons another cabinet of torture devices from other dimensions and planets. "Or try something a bit more exotic..." He summons yet another cabinet full of nothing but banjos. "Or go with something sorta new wave..."

Ford's heart starts thundering, each device looks more painful than the next. His gaze settles on one of the cabinets and his brow furrows, confused.

"B-Banjos?" Ford chuckles nervously. "What would they do?"

Kryptos tries to signal to Ford not to give Bill any ideas, but Bill is already levitating one of the banjos.

"Oh you have no idea, do you Fordsy?" He strums it idly. It sounds like a dying hen. "You know, I wasn't too keen on hearing this little puppy sing at all hours of the day back when you were rooming with Glasses, haha!" He snickers. "I guess he got his in the end, though!"

Ford bristles. "Fiddleford saw right through you from the very beginning! At least he had the sense to torture you when he could." He growls.

 _Oh Fiddleford... Where are you now? What a fool I was!_

Bill laughs. "No argument there, IQ~ Too bad you were too stupid to question a single thing i did! Or to figure out how the hillbilly really felt about you!" He plays with the instrument until a string breaks.

"How he...? Ugh. Of course." Ford mutters to himself. "Stupid..." _He will survive this. He'll live to see Fidds and say he's sorry for being such a gullible fool._

"But anyhow…" Bill continues. "I hope you'll forgive me for _stringing you along..._ " He turns the banjo over and grips the neck of it like a baseball bat. He practice swings once, twice, and then brings it down on his captive's ribs. "I've just _banjo-nesing_ to get this out of my system!"

The banjo cracks against Ford's newly formed ribs and he wheezes, doubling over as far as the chains would allow.

"Untie me..." Ford coughs, spitting a globule of blood at his captor. "Untie me you... Worthless coward! You can't even take me on... Without chaining me up."

Bill laughs. "oh yeaaahhh, I'm sure it'd be a really fair fight if freed you!" He giggles. "But I'm not in the habit of _letting people down_ , Sixer!" He shakes the instrument, aiming again. " _Baaatttterrr uuupppp!_ " The banjo becomes fast acquainted with a knee cap.

Kryptos watches from behind Bill, grimacing. He considers sneaking away, but he's almost certain that would bring an even worse punishment down on his head...

"Let me go! You insane… Equilater— ARGH!"

Ford feels his kneecap give under the makeshift weapon. He feels a wave of nausea and pain.

"Stop this! You've… you've made your fucking _point_!"

Bill cackles. "And what point would _that be_ , Fordsy?" He brings the instrument down on Ford's other kneecap. "I've heard this has the _cap_ -acity to be really painful, but I feel the _knee-d_ for a first-hand account, so do me a favor and rate the agony, on a scale of one to six!"

Kryptos draws his gaze to the floor and keeps it there. He can't run away, but maybe if Bill is preoccupied he won't make him watch, let alone participate...

Ford's knees buckle under the blow.

"STOP IT! I WON'T PLAY YOUR GAMES YOU STUPID IRREGULAR- "

Ford cuts off, terror flooding him. Oh shit... Slip of the tongue.

Bill freezes mid-swing.

He lowers the make-shift weapon very slowly, looking the human in the eye. "What did you just call me." His voice is flat and cold and above all, unnaturally quiet.

Kryptos' entire body goes stiff. his eye fixes on the scene in widened, silent terror.

Ford's heart stops for a moment.

"N-nothing... I said nothing!" He yelps, quickly averting his gaze.

Bill stares, his eye wide and dead and unblinking. "Really." He leans in closer, until his eye is centimeters away from his captive's face. There's a shivering, buzzing cold energy emanating from his entire form. " _Reeaally..._ " The gaze flickers and drags slowly over to Kryptos. The diamond cringes like he's been struck. Bill's gazes shudders and inches back to the human.

Bill backs up. A chuckle begins, low and grating and raw. it rises slowly in pitch and volume, from an echoing howl to a shrill cackle, until it's climbed to a ghoulish shriek.

Kryptos backs away instinctively. He's never really seen Bill quite this frenzied, and it's a truly nightmarish sight to behold. Before he can move another meter, his entire body is suddenly consumed with a powerful red glow that feels like it's burning him alive. He screeches as he's dragged back towards the scene and slammed unceremoniously into one of the cabinets.

Bill's laughter simply continues, echoing from the room as though it's a living thing that's divorced itself from its creator.

"AH SIXER YOU REALLY S"

And with that, he raises the instrument and begins turning every bone in his captive's body into powder, one by one.

Ford's limbs twist into awkward angles, bone punctures through skin. It isn't long before, mercifully, a blow on the head strikes him unconscious and he dangles limp in the chains.


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter Warnings: More torture (of the stabbing and blunt force trauma sort), gore, treating humans like animals/pets, and swearing and such._

* * *

Bill breathes raggedly, the instrument in his hands little more than splintered wood and twisted metal. He throws it aside.

Kryptos picks himself up from the floor. He wobbles, limbs weak, dazed. Bill snaps his fingers and he's suspended into the air again, the burning pain returning. He's turned to face that horrible mangled thing that used to be Ford.

"LOOK AT HIM KRYPSTER! ALL SKIN AND BONES AND _BLOOD_ , THAT'S ALL HUMANS ARE! WAKE UP AND SMELL THE PUTREFYING FLESH!"

Kryptos chokes down a pathetic cry. He tries to speak, but no words come out.

Bill turns to him, a cold look in his eye. Kryptos feels like he's being disassembled into a million little particles under that gaze.

"There's no sense getting worked up about them, you know?" He hovers a little closer. "There's no sense in falling to pieces over them. They're just _sacks of meat_! _"_

Kryptos manages to stutter out. "y-y-y-yo-ou'r-re r-r-right-t B-b-bill..." His voice fades into a barely audible whisper. " _You're right…_ "

Bill laughs. "I can see how it'd be tempting to see them like real sentient beings! I guess they might seem like it...from a certain _angle_ , haha!"

Kryptos' thoughts come to a grinding halt. Oh god, he knows...of course he knows, but...

Kryptos shudders. He's in for it now. He can't believe he was ever this fucking _stupid_...

Bill shrugs. "Anyhow, I guess we better get back to havin' some _fun_ , y'know?"

Kryptos rasps. "Y-y-y-yeah..."

Bill turns and snaps his fingers. Ford's bones come together in uncomfortable, stilted, jerking movements like a deranged stop motion puppet. Bill starts by repairing the injury on his head, presumably so he's conscious throughout the reassembly this time.

Ford wakes with a ragged gasp. Every cell in his body is screaming in agony.

Bone, muscle, sinew, skin all knit back together; organs slick back into their cavities, limbs twist back into the original positions.

It's hideous, sickening and fascinating all at once. But it only makes it hurt more. Ford bites his tongue to stop himself screaming and squeezes his eyes shut, refusing to watch. He focuses on the metallic taste in his mouth and the throb on his tongue.

Kryptos shudders. It was almost better watching Bill tear him apart somehow.

"Sooooo, how are you feelin', IQ?" Bill giggles. "Want me to break off your foot and stick it back in your mouth?~"

"Ugh…." Ford grunts, averting his gaze and keeping his mouth shut. Maybe he should have done that before…

"THERE YOU ARE!" A shriek sounds out across the Fearamid. Pyronica leads the gang of Henchmaniacs into the expansive room, fangs bared in a gleeful grin. "We were wondering where you went, Bill! You missed the human barbeque!" She turns to Hectorgon.

"So there we were, burning down the town. This one human comes rushing out at us so I set it on fire. Oh my gosh, ya shoulda seen it! It ran around _screaming_ for aaages like 'aaahh oh no I'm on fire!' And then it just plopped to the ground ready to eat! Was delicious, right guys?"

The Henchmaniacs roar in approval.

The demoness flounces forward, peering curiously at the human chained to the wall. She lights up.

"Ooooh! You're playing with the human? Can I have a turn?"

Kryptos glances at his friends, hope welling within him. Pyronica and Hectorgon always help him figure out how to turn away Bill's wrath.

"P-p-pyr-ronica! H-h-hect-tor-rgon! H-h..."

Bill snaps his fingers, a steel plate bolting itself over Kryptos' mouth. "Ah, there you guys are!" He cackles. "I was worried you'd all miss out on the fun!" He turns to Pyronica and laughs. "Kryptos wasn't feeling in the 'party spirit', so I was just showing him some of the fun things I like to do with the human!"

He floats over to the lot of them, motioning with excitement. "But now that you're all here, the fun can _really_ begin!"

She tilt their head to the side at Kryptos' reaction, waving cheerily at him. "You missed out on some rad times, buddy!" She hisses. "I think I burnt down half the town!" She giggles with delight.

Ford's eyes snap open. "You DID _WHAT_ ?" He roars, rattling his chains furiously. "How dare you! THERE ARE GOOD PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN!"

Kryptos tries to speak or motion at them, but it's no use. He's trapped.

Bill laughs. "Nice one, Nikki! Sorry I missed the rest of it!" He rolls his eye at the human and scoffs. "Try to contain yourself, Sixer! Don't make me _muzzle_ you too!"

"You … YOU!" The town! The people! He's so caught up in his own peril that he totally forgot about it all!

Rage boils, hot and heavy and burning away any smart idea like keeping his mouth shut.

"I'll! I'LL TEAR YOU TO PIECES YOU MISSHAPEN SCRAP!" He screams, struggling madly against the chains.

A feral snarl escapes from Bill.

Kryptos watches from the background, trembling.

Pyronica snorts. "Watch out, Bill! Your little pet might bite you!" She crows and the rest of the crew laughs.

Bill suddenly laughs, summoning several hands and poking and prodding Ford playfully. One flips his hair, another takes ahold of his face, squishing his cheeks. "Aw, he acts all tough, but his bark is _far_ worse than his bite!" He shrugs. "Me, on the other hand...or _hands_ , rather..." The hands grow claws and begin tearing in the man, very slowly. "Well let's just say you wouldn't wanna _test_ me, ain't that right, Fordsy?"

Ford hisses between clenched teeth but offers nothing more.

Bill glances at the diamond suspended behind him. "Krypster?"

Kryptos flinches away from Bill's gaze. He glances at Pyronica, hoping his pleading look will tip her off to the trouble he's in. It's a bit of a long shot. She's not particularly good at taking a hint, no matter the circumstances.

"Hey, Krypy! Come here and join us!" Pyronica calls out, beckoning towards her and Hectorgon.

Bill laughs. "Yeah, Krypster! Why don't ya come _join the fun_!" He snaps his fingers. The diamond falls to the ground, the metal plate disappearing from his mouth.

Kryptos is still shaking, but he manages to get to his feet. Well...there's no escape from whatever his fate may be now...everyone's watching...

He looks back at his friends. They all of seem eager to have him participate in whatever pain they plan on putting the human through. He inhales, remembers how to levitate himself, and floats over to join them.

He's stopped mid-journey by Bill's telekinesis again. "Ah ah, not so fast, Krypster!"

 _Shit_

Bill picks him up and sets him down next to the human. He waves his hand, repositioning the cabinets and their contents. "I think you oughta get first go at the little beast! It might help you get into the spirit!"

 _Shit, shit..._

They'll all be watching. he can't mess this up...not even a little...they'll all know the truth...

Bill's claws are still digging into Ford's skin, deeper and deeper until he's full of bleeding holes. They stop abruptly, and with a snapping of fingers, the human's body is as good as new again.

Bill's hands retreat into his form. He motions towards the cabinets idly. "Your pick buddy! Whatever tickles your fancy!"

Kryptos wrings his hands, looking nervously from the cabinets, to his friends, to Bill, and finally to the human. He's trembling again.

"Aww! I wanna play with the human!" Pyronica pouts. The rest of the gang looks disappointed too.

Ford is panting heavily from the mistreatment, trembling as his skin and blood return. He looks at Kryptos with dread. Maybe they could just get it over with to satisfy Bill….

And this time he's not going to say a word. _Not a single damn word._

Bill floats over to Pyronica, putting his arm around her shoulder. "Rellaaax, Nikki! You'll get a turn!" He leaps up and spreads his arms wide towards the rest of them. "You'll _all_ get a turn! A lot of turns! We do have literally all of eternity, after all!"

He motions to Kryptos. "Ol' Krypster here just needs a little 'encouragement', right now is all!"

His gaze swings back to the diamond. " _Isn't that right_?"

Kryptos jumps, running into the cabinet and making a few banjos fall out of their place. "Y-Y-yeah Bill..."

Bill giggles at him. "Don't take too long choosing there, pal! We all want a go at the little meatbag!"

"Yeah, Kryptos!" Keyhole shouts. "Hurry up and pick something already!"

Kryptos cringes. He looks at all the cabinets, eyeing the horrible contraptions lining their shelves. None of them seem particularly pleasant, nor quick...Maybe that's a good thing though; too quick and BIll might make him do this more than once...

He spies a large, technicolored, rectangular object from some dimension he doesn't recognize. He takes it in his hands. It's heavier than he thought it would be, and it nearly drags him to the floor. He grunts, trying to lift it, when he accidentally presses a button. It whirrs and clicks, sharp objects blooming from it like a deadly flower. He squeaks and drops it.

Ford flinches involuntarily at the loud clang. He's getting jumpier by the second; every sound seems to designate some form of pain or distress. _A conditioned fear response_ , a detached part of his brain supplies, rather unhelpfully.

"WOAH! What the hell is that doohicky?" Pyronica cries out, eying the fallen object with interest.

Bill shrugs and laughs. "Just a little beauty from Dimension C-226, aka the realm of eternal horrific agony, corn nibblets, and dead weathermen!"

"Come on, Kryptos! Hit it with something! HIT IT! HIT IT! HIT IT!" Pyronica starts a feverous chant, with stomping and shouting.

"HIT THE PET! HIT THE PET! HIT THE PET!"

Kryptos sweats as the chanting begins. He searches the cabinets desperately, looking for something, anything that he might just be able to pick up. He eventually finds a stick-like object in one of the cabinets.

He grips it a little too tight, hands still shaking, and turns to the human.

He stares at the captive creature, trying not to think about talking to him only...an hour ago? A few minutes? Probably not, since time is dead now. He also tries not to recall the horrible mess of a damaged meat body he witnessed not long after...

Kryptos begins trembling violently. He tries desperately to reclaim his nerve.

Ford squeezes his eyes shut. "Just do it, kid." He mutters through his teeth. "Get it over with."

"HIT IT, KRYPTOS! SHOW IT WHO'S BOSS!" Pyronica crows, punching her clawed fist into the air.

Kryptos opens his mouth, then closes it again. He can't seem to lift the weapon an inch.

"Whatsamatter, Krypster?" Kryptos jumps at the sound of Bill's voice directly beside him, nearly dropping the weapon. Bill eyes him with what can only be described as a mouthless smirk. "Not sure where to start?" He laughs and pulls Kryptos into another sideways embrace. "Stay away from the top bit with the eyes! That'll kill him too fast!" He motions to the human's arms and legs. "now those appendages, they're are pretty durable! Not likely to kill him outright!" He leans in and whispers. " _But I'd go for the middle part if I were you! The little bones that protect their innards are_ reeeaally _sensitive!_ "

Kryptos forces a smile. "O-ok.."

Bill gives him a bit of a squeeze. It's just a _little_ too tight. "Just keep it nice and simple for now! We have _so much more fun_ we'll be getting to after this! Wouldn't wanna spoil that!" He releases him, patting him on the arm. "Just don't think too much! That's definitely your forte anyhow, _right_ ?"

The double meaning is not lost on Kryptos. He inhales with a shudder.

Bill backs up a little. "Just do it, Krypster! Go on, do it!"

"DO IT KRYPTOS!" Yells Hectorgon.

Another chant begins. "DO IT! DO IT! DO IT!"

Kryptos lifts the weapon slowly. He closes his eye and brings it down on the human's side.

Ford gasps, spittle and blood flying from his lips as the blow knocks him sideways.

"WOOO! GO KRYPTOS!" Pyronica cheers, bouncing up and down gleefully not unlike a cheerleader.

"WOW KRYPTOS, NICE!" Keyhole yells.

"WHO KNEW HE HAD IT IN HIM?" Hectorgon laughs.

Kryptos opens his eye. It didn't seem so bad yet. he glances at Bill. He looks impatient. And like he's planning something. Like he knows a secret no one else does.

Kryptos gulps and tries to put that out of his mind. He closes his eye and hits the human a couple more times.

Ford grits his teeth hard together, refusing to make a sound. He won't give Bill that satisfaction. Blood drips down his chin.

"HIT IT HARDER!" Pyronica crows, spurred on by her buddies.

Kryptos doesn't even open his eye as he continues bringing the metal weapon down on the meat creature's body, over and over and over...

His friends chant in the background. He doesn't hear Bill amongst them, but he knows he's watching. Waiting for the smallest slip up.

Ford can't help it, he cries out as his ribs shatter once more. He tastes metal and spits it out onto the ground. His legs twitch and spasm under each blow.

"Stop…" He croaks. "Please."

Kryptos tries to ignore the human's pleas. Tries not to think about what he's doing or who he's doing it to.

He's not sure why he's having such a problem with this. It's just a flesh being. A limited little flesh being. it's barely even sentient.

He opens his eye. It's a mistake. The human looks so pathetic, so desperate to make the pain stop.

Kryptos avoids the human's gaze as he brings the weapon down on his leg.

The blow is soft, barely enough to bruise. Ford looks up at Kryptos quizzically, breathing heavily.

"Aww! Come on, Krypty! If you're not gonna do it properly let me do it!" Pyronica jeers.

Bill laughs suddenly. "yeah Krypster..." He gives him a terrifying look. " _Do it properly!_ " Kryptos shudders, but the weapon remains static in his grip.

"C'mon, you were doing so well!" Teeth laments.

"You can do better than that, Kryptos!" Hectorgon chimes in.

Kryptos' gaze darts around, from his victim to his friends to Bill, and then to the floor. When did he get so _weak_?

Ford can't help but allow a small choked sob of relief, refusing to look at Bill. Refusing to look at anywhere else but the floor.

"Please…. No more… Bill… Please take me back to the penthouse… Please…" He whimpers. He just wants to be away from prying eyes. He almost misses the growly couch made of skin that Bill let him catch a few minutes of sleep on…

Kryptos would love nothing more than what the human is suggesting. He highly doubts Bill will grant the request, however. They insulted him, multiple times, once in one of the worst ways possible. He himself would be hard-pressed to forgive someone for calling him...that...

Kryptos hears something blazing and feels an overwhelming sense of malevolence. He looks up to see Bill, glowing a bright crimson, his eye bulging.

"DID I SAY YOU COULD STOP, KRYPSTER? KEEP _GOING_ "

Kryptos flinches. He tries not to think about the whimpering, crying human who's begging for mercy. The human who listened to his problems and munched on Time Gummies. He tries to focus on the one who got him into this mess in the first place. The one who took the information Kryptos trusted him with and wielded it to both their detriment. The one who betrayed him.

Kryptos finds some amount of anger building in him and he manages to strike the creature another couple of times.

"Bill! Please! I'm- ARGH!"

"GET IT IN THE FACE! GET IT IN THE FACE!" Pyronica's started a fresh chant now.

Kryptos takes Pyronica's advice and brings the metal bar down on the human's face. He hopes it kills him...and that Bill won't revive him for another round if it does.

It smacks him squarely in the front of the skull, cracking it and knocking him into blackness again. Unconscious. Finally.

"WOO! YOU KILLED IT!" Pyronica cheers, clapping loudly. "GO KRYPY!"

Kryptos glances back at his friends. They all seem pleased with this development. Maybe it all worked out...

He glances at Bill. He's no longer that furious red. Something about his manner is more predatory than happy, though.

"Well, well, well! I knew you could do it, Krypster!" Bill floats down to the human, propping up his drooping head. It flops down again, blood dripping all over Bill's finger. He giggles. "Now now...I didn't say you could take a nap, Fordsy!" He snaps his fingers, the wounds repairing themselves once more. "WAKE UP OLD MAN!"

Ford comes to with a scream, as though waking up from a nightmare. Well. His reality is a living nightmare so what's even the difference?

He glowers at Bill but doesn't say a word. Just shoots daggers at him with his eyes and casts a venomous look at Kryptos too. He knows the kid had no choice but he also knows he has to stop thinking he has friends here.

Kryptos catches the glare from the human. He feels a tinge of... _guilt_ of all things...

He scowls back at him, crushing down that feeling. It was the human's own fault. For all of this. for insulting Bill, for getting himself mixed up with that demonic triangle, for even causing the rift between dimensions, effectively allowing Bill to end the human's own. Kryptos had no hand in any of that, it was just that human and Bill...

A brief thought nagging in his mind whispers that running with Bill is about as good as helping him. He chases it away.

Besides, it's not like he could tell Bill _no_...or that either of their punishments were likely over. Kryptos forces himself to become cold and steely, if only to not fully feel the fear threatening at the thought of what Bill still has in store for him. He won't make the mistake of caring about this fragile meatsack twice. If he makes it out of this alive, he won't so much as glance in that pathetic human's direction ever again.

Kryptos' body is filled with a sudden searing hot pain. A halo of red light envelopes him.

 _Shit, shit.._. What did he do? Did he do something wrong?...Or is it finally his turn for real?


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter warnings:_ swearing, mind games, humiliation, flashbacks to emotional abuse, violence, condescending monologues.

* * *

Kryptos gulps, closing his eye, trying to get rid of the tremble in his body.

He opens his eye and shoots one last pleading look at Pyronica and Hectorgon.

Hectorgon stares back with an unreadable expression. He tosses a glance towards Pyronica and mutters something to her. Kryptos can't make out what it is over the hum of Bill's telekinesis.

he's pulled back towards Bill with a shocking amount of force, enough to give him vertigo.

Bill's eye is fixed on Kryptos. There's something icy in his gaze, even with an expression of cheer plastered across his visage. "Well, well, well," he says, clapping mockingly. "Didn't know you had it in yah, Krypster!" his eye splits, just a little, just for a moment. Bill's crooked, jagged teeth peek out. Kryptos shudders, trying and failing to smother a whimper. "Not bad, _pal_ , not bad, not bad..."

Hectorgon leans over and whispers. " _Pyronica..._ " he clutches his glass a little too tightly as he speaks. " _Pyronica, I think Kryptos is in trouble..._ "

He's seen Bill this mad before, but it's been few and far between. Once in prison. Once when he was annihilating their home dimension. Once over the human. The goddamned human... Nothing good comes of it, not for Bill, not for anyone stupid enough to be nearby when it's happening.

 _Stupid, stupid, stupid Kryptos...he never_ listens...

Pyronica returns the look. She knows her Billy has a nasty temper on him. And that Kryptos often is at the receiving end on it most times. But it's usually funny! They all have a laugh, Kryptos gets reassembled, no harm done.

There's something different about this time, if Kryptos' pleading gaze is any indication.

"I'll see what I can do." She mutters at Hector, taking a few steps forward.

"Hey, Bill! Why don't you put the nerd down, huh? Let's go burn some more houses, wouldn't you like that? Hmm?"

She floats tentatively above the ground to Bill's eye level, giving him a grin.

"C'mon man, like old times!"

Bill waves idly towards Pyronica, as if shooing her. "Not now, Roni," he eyes Kryptos almost hungrily. "I'm _busy_..."

Pyronica pouts, giving a disgruntled little huff before slowly floating back down. She touches down lightly next to Hector, giving him a shrug.

There was nothing she could do for Kryptos. She's never seen Bill so incensed… Not in a very long time at least…

Bill claps his hands, rubbing them together. "Now, now, what shall we do to dear ol' Krypster, here?" He chuckles. "What might befit such a traitor?" He leans closer, making Kryptos flinch again. "Because that's what you are, Kryptos," He's practically spitting the words now. "a fucking-goddamned-no-good-piece-of-fucking-shit _TRAITOR_!"

Bill composes himself, giving a giddy little giggle. "And if there's one thing I can't _stand_ , it's a backstabber, you know?" he cracks his knuckles, stretching. " _Sooo_ , what might we do about this treasonous act, hrm? How do you think a traitor ought to be rewarded, huh? Krypster?"

Kryptos tries to speak, but all that comes out is a whimper and stuttering, slurring nonsense. "I-I-I-I...I m-me-ean-n I...d-d-di-i-dn-n't-t..I...I...I...w-w-w-wo-o-ould-d-d-dn-n-n't-t-t...I..I..." He finally manages to whisper, in a hoarse tone. " _ididn'tmeanto_ "

"DOES THAT REALLY _MATTER_? YOU THINK?" Bill shrieks. "DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT _FUCKING_ GODDAMNED _MATTERS_ TO ME? HUH? FUCKING _DO YOU_? USE WHATEVER PASSES FOR A FUCKING BRAIN IN THAT FUCKING PATHETIC LITTLE BODY OF YOURS AND _THINK_ FOR _ONCE_ IN YOUR GODDAMNED _LIFE_ , KRYPTOS!"

Kryptos' entire body trembles madly. Not being able to move enough to protect himself is agonizing. He closes his eye. " _n -n-n-no-o..._ " He murmurs.

" _WHAT WAS THAT_?" Bill says. "I CAN'T HEAR YOU OVER YOUR GODDAMNED _COWERING,_ KRYPSTER! SPEAK THE FUCK UP!"

" _No_ , nononono..." Kryptos says, latching onto the one syllable he can manage to say like an incantation. "nonoi-i-it...it d-d-do-o-es-s-n't m-m-ma-a-tt-t-er-r..."

" _CORRECT_! FOR ONCE!" this is followed by more sarcastic clapping. "GIVE THE IDIOT A _PRIZE_!"

Bill drops Kryptos next to Ford, folding his hands behind his back.

Ford flinches back, tucking his legs up to his chest. _This is his fault. This is all his fault. He should never have let that insult slip! What the hell was he thinking?_

He eyes Kryptos warily before hurriedly ducking his head and looking at the ground. He doesn't want to see this.

Kryptos fights the urge to crawl away. He hugs himself and does what he does best - cowers in a little quivering ball on the floor.

Hectorgon grips his glass so tightly, his hand is shaking. If Pyronica can't distract Bill, there's no saving him now. What the fuck did Kryptos _do_?...

Oh. Oh gods. Hectorgon remembers what the human shouted a little while earlier. He recalls something half-buried in his mind, emotions and beliefs from so long ago, from his time back in Flatland...Things like the angles and shapes of lifeforms had become mostly meaningless now...but old wounds run deep...

And if there's one thing Bill never does, it's _forget_...

Kryptos made himself a target of a trillion-year-old grudge. And for the human to know about...all that...

 _Kryptos, you idiot. You fucking idiot_...

Hectorgon tries to disguise the tremble in his hand, giving Pyronica a weak shrug in return. There's nothing she can do. There's nothing they can do...

Hectorgon takes another drink, finishing off his glass in one go.

Kryptos sees the human looking at him, barely meeting his gaze. He wants to scowl and be angry, he _should_ be angry, he can't believe he was so stupid, stupid, to trust the stupid meatsack, so _stupid_...Bill is _right_...He _is_ an idiot...

But he can't be angry. He's too scared to be angry. Who know what Bill will do to him if he sees Kryptos _angry_? Not that it matters, because he can't even get his face to express any other emotion except pure terror, with maybe a little pathetic pleading mixed in. He'd accept help from the human if it meant he would be spared from Bill's wrath.

Bill touches down beside Kryptos and he cringes.

he feels Bill's hand on him and he yelps, his shaking increasing tenfold.

But Bill's touch is soft. He pats Kryptos on the shoulder. "There, there, Krypster, no sense in delaying the inevitable, hrm?" He chuckles. "Aw, c'mon, what's with all this shaking, pal? What do you take me for? A monster?"

 _Yes_. Kryptos thinks before he can stop himself. _No, no_! He corrects his thoughts, remembering that Bill can read his mind. "N-n-no!" He squeaks, hugging himself tighter.

Bill clucks his tongue. "Really, I'm just gonna do what you did to me, y'know? An eye for an eye and all, you get what I'm sayin'?" His voice is jovial, without a trace of the previous venom to it.

This is a trap. An obvious trap. But if there's even a chance Bill might let him off easy... "R-r-really?" Kryptos says softly.

"Yeah!" Bill shrugs. "Why would I do anything else?"

Kryptos sits up slowly. His shaking subsides just a little. "... _R-really_?"

He bites his lip. This is a trap. this is a trap... "W-w-what do you m-mean by th-that?"

Bill laughs. He snaps his fingers. Kryptos flinches, but Bill only summons a martini. He takes a sip. "We've been friends for a long time, you and I, haven't we Krypster?"

Kryptos is quiet for a moment. "W-well...y-yes. I g-guess we have..."

Bill laughs again. He stares into his glass as he swirls it around. "Yes, a very long time indeed...over a trillion years, in fact! Longer than I've known anyone in this room! Well, excluding the esteemed Hectorgon!" he gestures idly to said henchmanaic, who starts, nearly dropping his glass.

"And while we don't always agree," Bill continues, chuckling. "Man, you do really manage to _piss me off_ sometimes, you know, man? Just..." he inhales sharply. " _Really_..."

He shrugs. "But all in all, we've had some _good times_ together, _right_?"

He stares at Kryptos expectantly. "Right?"

Kryptos snaps out of his frightened daze. "Ah, y-yeah, g-guess we have!" he says a little too quickly.

Bill laughs. "Right-e-o, my Coplanar Compadre!" He takes another drink. "And over the years, you and I, well we've _shared_ certain, eh, _details_ about ourselves, details we'd rather keep _between_ ourselves...you, heh, you know what I'm saying? Know what I mean?"

Kryptos nods. "Y-y-you mean...like...s-secrets?"

"Secrets! yeah! That, heh, that's the word I was looking for! _Thank you_!" He chortles. "Secrets, secret things...you know, like the thing about the, ahem, nature of my angles prior to _'adjustment'_ ," he airquotes, his tone bitter as he says that word. It changes instantly back to the light, cheerful tone it had before, though. "Those are the kinds of things friends keep between _friends_ , you know? kind of a _contract_ of sorts, if you really think about it!"

Kryptos nods again, now thoroughly confused, though the growing pit of dread in his chest has yet to dissipate, or even diminish. "Y-Yeah...I-I g-guess..."

Bill laughs, motioning lazily. "I'm just, you know, thinkin' out loud, just supposin' here a little...If you really think about it, _all_ relationships are kind of like contracts! Sort of like arrangements two parties make with each other to benefit themselves...You see where I'm going with this?"

Kryptos does't. Not really. But he gives a wobbling smile and says, "uh...y-yeah...I mean, s-sorta..."

"Really? Great!" Bill chuckles. "Well, anyway...I'm just sayin' all this because I was hoping you _might_ understand how bloody _frustrating_ it might be to a guy like me, deal affectionado that I am, when a contract gets _broken_ like, well..." he laughs, and it's got a bit of an edge to it. "Like you did when you shared my secret with a _human_ who just happened to be _hanging around_ , you know? You feel me?"

Kryptos grimaces. He's starting to see where this is headed now. "Ah...y-yes...yes I th-think I do..."

Bill takes one more drink, emptying the glass and tossing it aside. It shatters. He ignores it, staring at Kryptos. "And here's _another_ funny little thing about contracts, Krypster, my pal," He approaches Kryptos, his expression growing more and more tense with every step. "They're quite, hrm, _mutual_ , shall we say?" he chuckles. "Seeing as how _you_ have shared some pretty interesting little secrets with me too!" he motions to the human. "Heh, you probably shared them with this loser too, seeing as how you can't seem to shut up about that shit for _five fucking minutes_ , heh!"

Ford starts at the word 'contract', his head jerking up. He shrinks under Bill's gaze. It feels like fire, heat crawls through every cell in his body, curling around his throat until breathing seems completely impossible.

He doesn't say a word, just throws another worried glance at Kryptos and bows his head once more.

Kryptos blanches. He tries to speak, but only random syllables leave his mouth.

Bill rolls his eye. "You _did_ , fucking Jesus H. fucking Christ on a fucking popsicle stick..." He puts his hand to where his forehead would be if he were humanoid, kneading it, and closing his eye. "That is...heh, _wow_ , that is _pathetic_ , ok, I'm sorry, I just, I had to give myself a minute there, haha, I mean, just, good _fuck_ , Krypster..."

Some of the other henchdemons snicker. They'd all been completely silent throughout this so far, the tension too thick to even think about breaking, but this was the first funny thing Bill had said that wasn't laced with menace. The thought of Kryptos whining to a mortal was too good not to find even a _little_ laughable!

Bill chortles, raising his gaze back to Kryptos. "A lifetime of pathetic and terrible decisions, and you've actually managed to reach a new low! _Congrats_ , Krypster!"

Kryptos furls in on himself a bit. He knows he's pathetic, they don't have to remind him...he almost wishes Bill would get on with the punishment already!

Pyronica gives a weak chuckle with the rest of the gang, but really, there's nothing about this situation that is funny.

Bill had told her what he had been before he was… Altered. And it had been something he told her in confidence… And in one of their more… Rare moments. Vulnerable and intimate moments. She'd never told another living soul...

This was unforgivable…

"Oh Kryptos…" She mutters, shaking her head. She hasn't felt so dismal in billions of years.

Hectorgon can't even force a laugh. He didn't realize Kryptos had become so desperate for emotional support. He can be needy, but...

 _Dammit Kryptos..._ He mentally curses him, but he can hardly be truly angry at him. Hectorgon knows he has a part in all this, and that knowledge burns in him, eating him from the inside out. He should have been watching him, he should have kept him away from the human, he shouldn't have let him _get_ this way…

Ford's chains clink as he flattens himself closer against the wall, spine digging into the brickwork. But the comments send tiny pinpricks of annoyance through him. As if this is something to laugh about!

He can't help himself. He grits his teeth, jaw tense as he shoots Bill a glare. "He was… only trying to help." He snarls.

Bill's gaze snaps to Ford. "Help?" He chuckles. "Help _how_ , precisely, Fordsy?"

He approaches Ford, the low, simmering anger evident even in his stance, contrasting sharply with the light, flippant tone of his voice.

Kryptos exhales, just grateful not to be the focus of Bill's fury... he glances at the human, then looks away quickly. He can't get attached. He can't get attached...

Ford's heart drops to the floor. His skin erupts in goosebumps.

He gulps, hastily pinning his gaze to the floor and shuffling to the side. Anything to get as far away from Bill as possible. His boots squeak against the cold hard floor.

His voice is small, hardly a whisper. "F-Food… I needed…" He trails off. He feels like he's a child once more, backed into a corner by his red-faced father. A rolled up newspaper in a clenched fist.

 _Weak! Failure! Pathetic! Can't even take a beating! You should be more like your brother!_

Bill burst out laughing. "You needed _food_? You needed to _eat_? is that what you meant?" His tone is now dripping with mockery. "I thought I made the food situation pretty _FUCKING CLEAR_ Fordsy! _I_ get to decide when you eat and when you don't! You don't _need SHIT_!"

Ford flinches under every word, squeezing his eyes shut as he ducks his head to the side. He just wants to melt through the walls.

"Y-Yes… Yes Bill…. U-understood." He whimpers.

He can't get in trouble again… Not again… Got to be good…

 _"You're not listening, Stanford! Look at me! You rotten little coward! You think your brains are going to save you when they're beaten out of your skull? Toughen up!"_

Kryptos breathes a sigh of relief. Maybe if Bill takes his anger out on the human, he won't be a target anymore...maybe he'll forget all about what Kryptos did...

Kryptos wrings his hands. No...there's no way Bill will forget...Bill _never_ forgets...

He glances at Bill, a faint glow of red beginning to overtake his triangular form. There's no way he won't be angry, either, not after what Kryptos did... Of course...maybe if he takes it out on the human a little more, it will be...less? when he gets to Kryptos? Maybe?

Even Kryptos knows it's a foolish hope, but it's hope, still. That, and it's mostly nice not to be Bill's punching bag anymore, even for a few blissful minutes. Nice to relax just a little, pretend nothing is wrong, pretend he's just one of the gang again, not some _traitor_ about to get punished in some horrible way...

He pointedly avoids eye-contact with the human. The stupid mortal's gotten him into enough trouble, him and his sad little eyes and his _pleading_ and him making Kryptos _feel_ things... stupid little meatbag... getting mad at Kryptos, the _nerve_! he's not the one stupid enough to call Bill... _that_..to his _face_!...so to speak...

Kryptos tries to will himself not to look at the human, or at least not to care about it. It's a dumb pile of skin and goo...it doesn't have real _feelings_...

Bill laughs again, not even bothering to hide the sadism or the anger behind it. " _Really_? Do you _really_? Because I'm not sure if you _do_ understand!" he puts his hand underneath his eye in mock thought. "I wonder how I can make it real nice and _clear_ to yah, Sixer!"

Ford shakes his head, baring his throat to Bill in an attempt at submission. His whole body trembles. "N-No… No I understand… Please, Bill. Not again… J-Just… Just ignore me. I was being f-foolish…"

 _You think you're so clever, don't you? Think you can stand up to me, eh?_

Bill cackles. "Oh, _ignore_ you, huh? You think you can tell me what to do, _hrm_?" He grabs Ford by his hair. "You think you can just open your big fat _mouth_ and just say _whatever_ you _want_ and that there won't be _consequences_?" he laughs. "Oh Fordsy, I'd hope even you aren't _that_ stupid..."

he looks off to the distance, pondering. "I wonder how we can _drive the point home_ this time..."

Ford yelps, his eyes snapping open. "L-Look, Bill… T-There's no need for this…"

Shit, shit, he has to say something to appease him… Something to stop him from dismembering him….

"Um… M-My Lord?"

Bill knows immediately what Ford is playing at, and it's hardly enough to quell his temper. Still, it might be fun to watch the moron _try_.

" _WHAT_?" A red aura surrounds his form, humming and pulsing as it grows in intensity.

Ford ducks his head, shuffling onto his knees. He gulps. This was such a long shot. And it made him look pathetic .

"M-Master… Please I have l-learnt my lesson. As has Kryptos, I'm sure…"

Bill chuckles. "Oh? _have you_ now?" His gaze flickers towards Kryptos for a split second at the mention of him. The diamond lets out a small sound of distress and flinches in a comically over-the-top sort of way, eliciting a short laugh from Bill. Kryptos may be _stupid_ and _pathetic_ , but at least he's pretty funny sometimes.

"Yes, Bill... I-I mean my Lord and Master! Very much so!" Ford tries to keep his voice as low and reverent as possible and hide the utter disgust at himself.

He never was a good actor. Not like Stanely was.

Bill can't pretend he isn't tickled, despite it all. Ford is a stubborn, rebellious little thing; bringing him to heel never ceases to fill the dream demon with a vicious glee. Even if Ford's just doing this to avoid more pain, it's still a delightful change of pace.

It's not enough to cool his anger, but perhaps stay it, at least for the moment. "Hrm, can ya _prove it_ , Sixer?"

Kryptos is still a little confused as to why the human would mention him in his pleas. Is he trying to make Bill remember who he's _really_ angry at? Is he trying to get Kryptos in _more_ trouble?

Anger overtakes the diamond. He doesn't want Bill to think they're working together or something! Bill already thinks they've been "bonding" or whatever, and that's bad enough. Kryptos isn't gonna fall for anymore of the humans dumb tricks. "Hey, shut up meatsack! I'm not w-with _..._ w-working with _..._ _keep me out of your stupid fucking begging, skinbag_!"

Bill inhales sharply, red overcoming his form. He's literally shuddering with rage now. He turns, slowly to face his least favorite henchmaniac. " _KRYPTOS_ " he spits the diamond's name like a curse.

Kryptos trembles, backing away. He realizes quite rapidly he's made a terrible mistake. "Y-y-yes, Bill?" his voice small.

Bill's eye is a black pit, his pupil a dagger of red driven through the center. He reaches out with his telekinesis and grabs Kryptos in a stranglehold. Kryptos beings instinctively struggling and making pathetic, terrified sounds as his body is set ablaze with raw energy, then crushed in its grip.

Bill tosses him into the nearest wall as hard as he can. " _SHUT THE FUCK UP_ , YOU FUCKING _DUMBASS_ "

Pyronica winces, cringing as the diamond slams into the wall.

"He's done it now…" She mutters to Hector, throwing him a worried glance.


End file.
